Irrigation and Intercropping with Macadamia Increase Initial Arabica Coffee Yield and Profitability

Abstract

Although some regions of Brazil are considered suitable for Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) cultivation under rainfed and full‐sun conditions, irrigation and afforestation, especially for species that generate an economic return, may be alternative methods for improving coffee crop performance, diversifying and maximizing income. However, it is unclear whether additive effects occur due to the joint use of these practices. Thus, an experiment was conducted over a 7‐yr period to evaluate the growth, yield, and profitability of Arabica coffee in monocropping and intercropping systems with macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche) under rainfed and drip‐irrigation regimes in southeastern Brazil. Monocropped coffee plants were planted with a spacing of 3.5 by 0.7 m (4082 plants ha−1). In the intercropping systems, the macadamia trees were planted at a spacing of 10.5 by 4.9 m (194 plants ha−1) and the coffee plants at a spacing of 3.5 by 0.7 m (3887 plants ha−1). Intercropping with macadamia increased the coffee yield by 10% under rainfed conditions. Drip irrigation promoted greater growth and increased the coffee and macadamia yields by 60 and 133%, respectively. In the monocropped coffee under rainfed conditions, the first five harvest years were not sufficient to pay for the investments. Interestingly, both irrigation and intercropping increased the economic benefits. Furthermore, the irrigated coffee intercropped with macadamia resulted in the greatest profitability after the first five harvests. Thus, this system is an interesting alternative for increasing the sustainability of the Arabica coffee crop in the initial cropping years.

Arabica coffee–macadamia intercropping: Yield and profitability with mechanized coffee harvesting

“…Intercropping Arabica coffee with macadamia ( Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche) can reduce the negative effects of environmental conditions and increase the yields of both crops in Brazil (Perdoná & Soratto, 2015b; 2016; Perdoná, Soratto, & Esperancini, 2015b; Pezzopane et al., 2010). Research conducted from 2006 to 2014 showed that intercropping had a 2.6‐fold increase in land‐use efficiency, higher profitability, faster return on investment (Perdoná et al., 2015b), a 10% increase in coffee yield per area basis under rainfed conditions (Perdoná & Soratto, 2015b), and a 178% increase in economic benefit compared to irrigated coffee monoculture when intercropped with the macadamia cultivar HAES 816, which was the most productive cultivar (Perdoná & Soratto, 2016). In addition, Arabica coffee–macadamia intercropping increased macadamia kernel yield 51 and 27% compared to macadamia monoculture under rainfed and irrigated conditions, respectively (Perdoná & Soratto, 2015a).…”

Armazenamento E Qualidade Da Noz Macadâmia

“…Embora o cultivo da nogueira-macadâmia tenha crescido nos últimos anos no Estado de São Paulo, sua expansão encontra dificuldades por conta do elevado período de retorno do investimento, condição que também poderá ser modificada pelo uso da irrigação e da consorciação com outras culturas . A irrigação e a consorciação com café arábica, por exemplo, reduziram o período de retorno do investimento da cultura da macadâmia em pelo menos três anos (Perdoná & Soratto, 2015a).…”

Macadamia intercropping into an inefficient adult coffee plantation is economically advantageous

“…producer. Brazilian coffee farming is considered one of the most modern in the world (Silva et al, 2011) and, in recent decades, a great technological advance, such as suitable phytosanitary management, fertilization, and irrigation use, has increased productivity five harvests (Perdoná & Soratto, 2015b) and also increased the land-use efficiency 2.6-fold compared with coffee monoculture. Afforestation changes the microclimate, considerably improving the environment for coffee crops, especially in areas with natural conditions less favorable to its cultivation (Mancuso et al, 2013;Souza et al, 2017).…”

“…The producers would take advantage of the production of coffee trees already established to amortize the costs of implementing the macadamia orchard. However, although the development of macadamia trees is already known when planted simultaneously with Arabica coffee trees (Perdoná & Soratto, 2015a, 2015b; Perdoná et al., 2015), there are no reports on how to successfully introduce macadamia plants in adult coffee plantations.…”